Oil-can.



A. W. BELL.

OIL CAN.

APPLICATION FILED Auc.4. 1913.

1, 166,739. I Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

Z .9 Z 6 25,26 27 7 6 22 J7 9 Z5 Z4 21 4L J5 5 I 5 J6 v I F m I i 12 J5 Z l awvwwoz ARGHIBALD W. BELL, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BELL SUPPLY COMPANY, OF FORT MADISON, IOWA,. A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS. v

OIL-CAN.

Application filed August 4, 1913. Serial No. 782,945.

To all whom it mag concern:

' Be it known that I, AROHIBAILD W. BELL,

citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in Oll-Cans, of

- which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in oil cans for oiling engines and other maehinery; and the primary object thereof 1s to provide an oil can of the force-feed t pe wherein the oil or other lubricant is' rst sucked or drawn into a chamber provided therefor and then forced or ejected from the said chamber through a suitabledischarge spout, the suction and ejection being efi'ected by the operation of a cylinder piston disposed in communicative relatlon with the said chamber. I

A further object of the inventlon contemplates the provision of'means including an flow of oil regardless of the position of the oil receiving tube, arranged within the oil can in such a novel and'peculiar manner as to receive and convey the oil tothe chamber above mentioned, the said tube having a plurality of inletlopenings formed at dlfierent points within the can to permit the msides in the prov1s1on ofa .plurality, of spring controlled valves arranged to open and close communication between the several inlet and outlet passages -or ports leading into and out of the chamber, each valve being automatically operated according to the movement of the cylinder plston.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in their preferred embodimentm the accompanying drawings, descrlbed 1n the followmg specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are append- -ed hereto and form apart of this application.

In describing my invention in detail ref- 1 erence will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein I have shown alongitudinal sectional view of an oil can constructed in accordance w1th my mventlon.

Proceeding now to the descnptionof the drawings wherein is illustrated the prefer-red. embodiment of my invention the numeral 1 vdesignates the can body WhlOh 1s provided with a suitable base 2 and handle 3.

Specification of Letters Patent.

an. I A still further obj ect. of the invention re- Patented Jan. a, 1916.

A plug 4 is threaded into a sleeve 5, the former, when removed, allowing the said body 1 of the can to be filled as desired.

A specially devised valve casing 6 is $01: dered or otherwise fixedly secured to the can body, they said casing having a chamber 7 formed therein into which the oil or other lubricant is'drawn or sucked before its ejection or discharge through /the discharge spout 8. The said spout 8 is prbvided with an annular ou'twardlydirected flange 9 at the base thereof, a packing nut 10 being arranged over the said spout and engaging one 5 face of the said flange for supporting the spout 1n proper place andefi'ecting a water tight joint between the casing 6 and the said spout, this being accomplished by interposing a washer 11 between oneface .of the mg 6. I j

The means employed for receiving and and the upper extremity of the easconveying the oil contained within the body 1 to the chamber 7 comprises an oil receiving tubular member 12 one end of which is secured within an opening 13 formed within the casing 6,. at the lower end of the chamber 7, the opposite end of the said tubular member 12 having a valve seat 1 1 arranged thereover within which a ball valve 15 is disposed, the latter being normally held out of engagement with the lower extremity of the said tubular member when the can 1 is in an upright position. A branch pipe 16 is se- -cured in any suitable manner to the tubular member or pipe 12, the free end of the said pipe 16 terminating at a point adjacent the opening 13, this arrangement of thesaid pipe permitting the oil to be freely drawn into the tubular member 12 and thence conveyed to the chamber 7wh en the body -1 is tilted or inverted. To increase the efliciency of the oil can, the tubular member 12 is disposed at an angle within the body 1 soflas to position the inlet opening at one side of and,

inder 17 is arranged for operation within the said cylinder, the piston being normally forced into engagement with the cap 18 through the medium of an expansion spring 21 disposed within the cylinder, one end of the said spring abutting the piston 19 and the opposite end, a shoulder 22 formed within the casing 6. By forcing the piston 19 inwardly or toward the shoulder 22, thereby compressing the spring 21, it will be seen that the oil or lubricant contained within the chamber 7 is forced out through the discharge spout 8, a reverse movement of the piston 19 caused by the pressure brought to bear thereupon by the spring 21 creating a suction within the chamber thereby drawing or sucking a second supply of oil or other lubricant from the body 1 into the chamber 7 Spring controlled valves are arranged within the casing 6 for controlling the intake and discharge of the lubricant from the chamber 7 one of the said valves 23 being arranged within the said chamber for normally closing the opening 13 formed therein, the upper end of the tubular member 12 acting as a seat therefor. A spring 24: is disposed within the chamber 7 and arranged to embrace the stem of the valve 23, one end of the spring engaging the said valve and the opposite end the upper or top wall of the chamber 7. A second valve 25 the movement of which is likewise controlled through the medium of a spring 26 is arranged to open and close communication between the chamber 7 and discharge spout 8, both the valves 25 and 23 being frusto conical in shape to prolong the longevity and efliciency thereof. A valve cup or housing 26 may be seated within the casing 6 to form a valve seat for the valve 25. By the provision of the said cup 26, it will be seen that the valve 23 and the spring 24 may be removed and replaced by first removing the said cup and the valve 25. The operation of the cylinder piston 19 automatically operates the two valves 23 and 25, the former being withdrawn from engagement with the tubular member 12 during the suction stroke of the piston and the latter being withdrawn from engagement with the seat provided therefor during the force or opposite stroke of the cylinder piston, the springs 24 and 26 returning the valves to -their normal position the moment the piston 19 becomes stationary.

If desired, the discharge spout 8 may be removed from its position illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings and attached in a like manner over an outlet 27, disposed in axial alinement to the cylinder 17. A valve 28 and spring 29 are arranged within the outlet 27 for controlling the discharge of the lubricant therefrom when the spout 8 is attached thereto. 7

It will be seen from the above, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that the ball valve 15 automatically closes the inlet opening of the tubular member 12 when the can 1, is inverted thus permitting the suction created by the movement of the cylinder piston to draw or receive an oil supply through the branch pipe 16, the ball 15 returning to its normal position and out of further engagement with the said member 12 the moment the can 1 is righted; that the operation of the several valves employed in connection with the invention is absolutely automatic, the said operation being controlled by the movement of the cylinder piston; and that the lubricant contained within the body 1 is drawn or sucked into the chamber 7 and discharged therefrom through the spout 8 by the operation of the rod 20 which projects exteriorly of the cylinder 17.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment is the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary,

cure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an oil can, a body, a hollow casing in communication with said body, said hol low casing having outlet openings formed therein, a detachable spout adapted to be arranged over any one of said openings, a removable cap adapted to be arranged over the other of said openings, spring controlled valve means operable within the casing to open and close said outlet openings, spring controlled valve means operable within said casing to open and close communication therebetween and said body, and means operable to suck the contents of said body into said casing and force said contents out of said spout, operation of said last mentioned means being adapted to auto matically actuate said valve means against tension of the respective springs therefor, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an oil can, a body, a hollow casing mounted exteriorly of and in communication with said body, said hollow casing havlng two outlet openings formed therein, a detachable spout adapted to be arranged over either of said outlet openings, a removable cap adapted to be arranged over the other of said openings, the openings be- 111g so formed relatively to the casing as to dispose the. longitudinal axis of the spout when arranged over one ofthe openings at a right angle to itslongitudinal axis when 1 arranged over the other of the said openings, spring controlled valve means operable Within said casing to open and close said outlet openings, spring controlled valve means operable Within said casing to open and close communication therebetween and said body, and means operable to suck the contents of said body into said casing and force said contents out of said spout, operation of said last mentioned means adapted to automatically actuate said valve means ARCHIBALD W. BELL. 6

Witnesses:

CHAS. A. LANCASTER, J AMES PEAcooK. 

